AN EAST Lancashire man forced to flee Indonesia following threats from corrupt officials today said he would return to finish rebuilding work in a tsunami-hit Banda Aceh village.

Johnathan Armstrong, 26, vowed to go back to the fishing village of Lokna where his wife Nyanyak lost 40 of her family members in the 2004 Boxing Day disaster, to ensure £40,000 raised by the people of East Lancashire was spent properly.

Yesterday the Lancashire Evening Telegraph revealed that Johnathan son of the Very Rev Christopher Armstrong, the Dean of the Blackburn Church of England Diocese which covers the whole of East Lancashire had fled Lokna after discovering corruption within his tsunami relief organisation.

Johnathan, who flew back to Manchester with Nyanyak and sons Adam and Toby, said that the situation had become so "scary" he felt forced to pack up his family and get out of the country.

However Johnathan, who gave up a teaching job to set up a non-governmetal organisation to rebuild Lokna, said his commitment to the project was unwavering and he was determined to return maybe within the next month.

He said: "The money is still there and there is still work to be done.

"We are still going to continue with the New Life for Lokna Appeal and have already been in touch with people over there to get progress reports.

"The Catholic Relief Service is committed to a programme of house building and we will ensure that the money raised by the people of East Lancashire is used to rebuild businesses for those people who lost the means to make their own livelihood.

"I did feel isolated as a westerner in Lokna as I didn't have any protection from an umbrella organisation or charity. And as a westerner you cannot rely on the police for protection.

"I am now looking at the possibility of working for someone like Oxfam so I have their backing and security."

Blackburn MP and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw was instrumental in securing visas and temporary permits for the family to leave Indonesia. He has advised them to take advice from the British embassy before deciding whether it is safe to return.

But Johnathan is adamant that the remainder of the appeal money will be spent properly.

He added: "I have not been in England since 2003 and it feels very strange and very cold to be back.

"Both Nyanyak and I want to get back there as soon as possible. We love the life over there and feel there is still so much to be done. It will just be nice to take some time out now, recharge our batteries and let things cool off.

"The whole year since the tsunami struck has been stressful so it has been good to take a break.

"But we are determined to go back and to go back soon so we can accomplish what we set out to do."